Candle-receiving rack



March 13, 1951 c. J. scHRoEDER CANDLE-RECEIVING RACK Filed Aug. 5, 1949 UHHHHHHHHFIHIIIUIIHHHHIIIIIHIllUlllllllIll JNVENToR. Carl J Schroeder BY MAW HRW/Q Y M 0 P TENT GE/r Patented Mar. 13,1951

CANDLE-RECEIVIN G RACK.

Carl J. Schroeder, Hammond, Ind., assignor to Standard Oil Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Indiana Application augiist 5, 1949, serial No. 108,746

My invention relates to improvements in candle-receiving racks as used upon continuouswicking candle molding machinery.

7 Claims. (Cl. 18-27) The typical present day rack consists of two or three horizontal, vertically spaced receiving boards, vertically arranged end-boards and upright corner-posts and a locking board. Each horizontal board is provided with a plurality of apertures arranged in horizontal rows to' correspond with the rows of molds in the candle molding machine. Below the lowest horizontal board is slidably mounted a locking-board which is provided with aperturesthat normally register with those in the receiving boards; after the candles have entered the apertures in the rack, Ythe locking board is moved laterally, thus throwing its apertures out of alignment with the apertures in the receiving boards and clamping the candles in the rack; the sharp jarring action of the locking board often damages the tips of the candles. The receiving boards often make an impression in the surface of the candle which is so noticeable that the candle must be discarded; also the boards interfere with the cooling of the candles.

' After considering the deficiencies of the prior art racks, an important object of my invention is to decrease the breakage of the candles while these are being clamped inthe rack. Another object of my invention is to reduce the marring of the surface of the candles while being held in the rack. Still another object is to simplify the manner of retaining the candles in the rack. A further object is to shorten the cooling time of the racked candles.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a candle-receiving rack embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the rack.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numerals I`and Illa designate vertically arranged endpieces, which may be made in one piece or may be made with cornerposts and crosspieces. The endpieces support between them a horizontal member I I which member is provided with a number of apertures I2; these apertures may be equal in number t0 the molds in the candle-molding machine with which the rack is to be used, but normally more than one rack is used per machine.- The apertures are placed in vertical alignment with the molds and are made slightly larger in size than the candle which is to be supported in the rack. The horizontal member II supports a number of tubular members I3, which are placed coi-axially over the apertures I2 and are slightly larger in diameter than the candle I4 which will be enclosed by the tubular member. The candle supporting tubular member may be made from aluminum, Duralumin, copper, tin or other solid material which will conduct heat readily and will not stain the surface of the candle. By the use of such material a rapid dissipation of heat takes place along the entire length of the candle. By supporting the candle along its entire length, or substantially so, surface marking is eliminated. In order to obtain greater stability and to eliminate sharp edges the tubular member I3 may be ared at 'the base so as to be substantially greater in diameter than the' aperture I2; however, a flange or similar construction may be used to achieve this same effect. Numeral I 5 designates a hinge, fastened to the tubular member I3 and to horizontal member I I, which permits the tubular member i3 to be tilted with respect to the member II, as indicated atdotted position I3a; while a hinge pivot is shown, other pivoting .arrangements can be used without departing from the spirit of my invention. The tilting of the tubular members I3 gradually releases the candles from the mold pistons, thereby doing aWay with the breakage resulting from the horizontal jarring action of the prior art locking board; the candles are retained in the tubularmembers I3 by contact with the edge of the apertures I2 in the horizontal member II. A plate I1 which is provided with suitable apertures for receiving the tubular members I3 rests on the endpieces I0 and Illa and is so mounted that it can be moved in a horizontal plane, preferably along the longitudinal axis of the rack; projections I8 prevent the plate from traveling beyond the prescribed limits and the sliding movement is imparted to plate I1 by means of the handle I9 which move# ment causes the tubular members I3 to move to the desired vertical or tilted position. While anyone of a large number of mechanisms can be used for locking the sliding plate in a given position, for purposes of illustration a very simple device is shown mounted on endpiece lil. This locking device consists of a spring 20 contained in a housing 2| provided with an opening aty one end through which a rod-like member 22 protrudes and a slot which permits the vertical movement of a pin 23 which is attached to the rod 22. The sliding plate I'I is provided with two holes 24 and 25, large enough to admit rod 22, which are so placed that the tubular members can be locked in the desired vertical or tilted position by moving plate I'I until the rod 22 can enter the hole corresponding to the desired position of the tubular members. Purely for illustrative purposes, the plate I'I is shown in the figures to be slidably retained on the endpiece I Ua by means of a large headed bolt 26.

The operation of this preferred embodiment of my candle-receiving rack is as follows:

The rack is placed on a continuous-wicking candle molding machine so that the apertures I2 in the horizontal member I I are in vertical alignment with the molds in the molding machine (not shown in the drawings). The sliding plate I'I is moved to the position that forces each tubular member I3 to attain vertical alignment with an aperture I2 and an associated mold, so that when the candles are forced upward by the mold pistons each passes through an aperture I2 and tubular member I3. When the candles have moved upwards to the farthest point of vertical travel of the mold piston, i. e., to the point where the shoulder of the candle is about on the same plane as the upper side of the horizontal member II, the plate Il' is moved to the left by means of handle I9 and this movement forces the tubular members I3 to the tilted position I3a, which tilting movement disengages the candle from the mold piston. After the mold piston is withdrawn, the shoulder of the candle rests against the upper side of the aperture I2 and thereby is retained in and is supported by the tubular member I3 along its entire length or substantially so. When the candles have cooled to approximateli7 room temperature, the wicks 2! are cut by running a knife along the lower side of the horizontal member II; the rack is then taken to the receiving 'bins and the candles released from the rack by moving the tubular members I3 from the tilted to the vertical position, which movement permits the candles to drop out of the apertures I2. The candle-receiving rack is then replaced on the candle molding machine in position to receive the next batch of candles.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without 4 departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A candle-receiving rack comprising vertically arranged endpieces `which support between them a horizontal member provided with apertures, tubular members co-aXially and pvotably arranged over said apertures, and means for tilting the tubular members with respect to the horizontal member.

2. The candle-receiving rack of claim 1 wherein the tubular members are flared at the lower end.

3. The candle-receiving rack of claim 2 wherein each tubular member is connected to the horizontal member by a hinge.

4. The candle-receiving rack of claim 1 wherein the tubular members are made of aluminum.

5. A candle-receiving rack comprising vertically arranged endpieces, a horizontal member supported between the endpieces and provided with apertures, tubular members co-axially and pivotably arranged over said apertures, means for tilting the tubular members, and means for locking the tubular members in a tilted position.

6. The combination in a candle-receiving rack of a horizontal member provided with a plurality of aligned apertures, vertical endpieces supporting said member, tubular members pivotably supported by .the horizontal member over the apertures therein, a second horizontal member slidably supported by the endpieces above the rst horizontal member and provided with apertures which receive the tubular members.

7 A candle-receiving rack comprising two vertically spaced horizontal members which are provided with a plurality of apertures that are normally in co-axial alignment, vertically arranged endpieces which rigidly support the lower horizontal member and slidably support the upper horizontal member, a plurality of tubular members pivotally supported by the lower horizontal member over the apertures therein and which extend through the corresponding apertures in the upper horizontal member, and means for locking the tubular members out of vertical alignment with the apertures in the lower horizontal member.

CARL J. SCHROEDER.

No references cited. 

